A quick post, this.

I’ve had cause in recent months to take advantage of manufacturer service on two of my relatively expensive pens.

First, when I bought my Pelikan M805 I found the medium nib was too wide for me. I emailed the UK distributor, Stone Marketing, and asked if I could swap the nib. Pelikan offers a nib-swap service at negligible charge, nominally within 28 days of purchase. Sure enough, I got a prompt email back (within 24 hours) asking me to send the pen and a cheque for £5. I don’t have a chequebook and didn’t see the point in sending the whole pen, so I wrote back and asked if I could just send the nib unit, and if I could pay some other means. In the end I sent a five pound note and posted the nib unit special delivery. Total cost to me, about £10.

Duly received a new nib a few days later. Job done, utterly painless experience. It makes me feel more comfortable buying a Pelikan sight-unseen knowing that I can swap the nibs should I not like how it writes.

Second, my year-old Lamy 2000 developed the beginnings of a crack on the cap. I emailed Lamy describing the problem and received a reply, again within 24 hours, asking me to send it in for repair or replacement, no questions asked.

As soon as the problem has been identified your Lamy writing instrument will either be repaired or replaced in full and will be returned to you.

We thank you for choosing a LAMY writing instrument and we will make best efforts to rebuild your confidence in our products! Please be assured that we are fully dedicated to develop and produce writing instruments with a unique Lamy design and the highest “Made in Germany” quality standard!

I did so, and received my pen back with a new cap in about three weeks. It may just be me misremembering, but the inside of the cap seems to be a different design.

Total cost to me? Less than £10 for shipping to Germany.

The moral of the story? Manufacturers want you to be happy. You’re buying a premium product, and you benefit from premium service. If you’ve got a problem, let them help you. You may be surprised how quick, easy and cheap it is.